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Bill Ralston

Bill Ralston is an accomplished debater, compere and facilitator plus an entertaining and topical speaker.

Bill is a journalist, broadcaster, and media personality, active in television, radio and print. He has worked as a political correspondent, fronted the television arts show Backch@t, and was the head of news and current affairs at TVNZ from 2003 to 2007.

Bill Ralston has been a journalist and editor in New Zealand for more than 30 years with a background in television, radio and print. Beginning his career as a journalist at home and abroad with TVNZ, Bill spent many years in the Parliamentary Press Gallery for TVNZ. During those years he also served as a foreign correspondent for TV One and from 1988-89 he worked for the TV One current affairs programme Frontline, the predecessor to Assignment.

A political reporter with TV ONE News during the turbulent Eighties, Bill was TV3's political editor in Parliament for several years during the Nineties and he has hosted discussion programmes on TV ONE, TV3, Sky and Prime in recent years. In 1989 Bill joined TV3 as Political Editor, reporting for 3 News and, later, provided eccentrically different satirical political coverage for Nightline. During his time at TV3 Bill presented the current affairs segment of 3 News and his own weekly chat show, The Ralston Group.

After becoming editor of Metro magazine in 1997 Bill also produced programmes for TV One, including the chat show Ralston Live, Backch@t and various documentaries. He was named Best Political Columnist two years in a row at the prestigious QANTAS Awards and in 2000 won the overall title Columnist of the Year for his work. He was Head of News and Current Affairs at TVNZ for nearly four years.

An accomplished debater, chairman, MC and facilitator, Bill is also a lively, energetic presenter providing a topical entertaining commentary on life in New Zealand today, from politics and power to the more bizarre aspects of the media and celebrity

He currently works as a writer and commentator with a weekly Life column in the NZ Listener, a political column in the Herald on Sunday, and the twice weekly Media Scrum blog on stuff.co.nz.

Bill is an accomplished speaker, master of ceremonies and conference discussion facilitator, mixing his perceptive analysis of politics and modern life with humour and insight.